1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to furniture and more specifically to a portable armrest.
2. Description of the Related Art
Armrests that are part of chairs or other furniture are typically used for more than support for the user's hands or arms when seated in the chair. These armrests are often used for support when rising from a seated position to a standing position or when sitting down in the chair. The armrests allow users to gradually move their center of gravity to a position over their feet by supporting themselves with their arms on the arms rests as they rise from the seated position. Similarly, users can gradually move their center of gravity from over their feet to over the chair as they become seated in the chair.
Many articles of furniture used for sitting, however, do not have armrests or any other structure which can be used for assistance in changing from a sitting to a standing position. The absence of armrests on these articles (armless sitting devices) can be more than troublesome to many injured, elderly and physically challenged persons. For example, people with hip, leg, knee or back injuries often cannot rise from a seated position in an armless sitting device without supporting themselves with their arms. Often these people are placed in the embarrassing situation of requiring assistance from others in rising from an armless chair. Further, these people may be placed in dangerous situations when forced to use the edge of a table (or other unstable article) for support as they rise from or descend into the armless sitting device. The table may move due to the added force of the persons weight and result in injury.
Often, physically challenged persons are deterred from engaging in certain activities because of the embarrassing or possible dangerous consequences in sitting in public or private places that do not provide sitting devices with armrests. For example, most restaurants provide only armless chairs for seating.
Therefore, there exists a need for a portable armrest for providing a support structure to assist users in rising from and descending into armless sitting devices.